


Where Are YOUR Parents

by Chrystie, kate882



Series: Batdad and his Robins [7]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Gen, Link in notes, fanart inspired, jason's adoption story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2021-02-19 06:15:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22206490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chrystie/pseuds/Chrystie, https://archiveofourown.org/users/kate882/pseuds/kate882
Summary: “Where are your parents?”“Where areyourparents, batfucker?” The boy shot back, glaring up at him while trying to tug his arm free.
Series: Batdad and his Robins [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/933834
Comments: 7
Kudos: 301





	Where Are YOUR Parents

**Author's Note:**

> fanart link: https://kate882.tumblr.com/post/190190340137/m-alejandrita-flashback

Bruce was pretty well aware that leaving the Batmobile in an alley in Crime Alley was almost asking for something to happen to it, but he’d been sure his safety measures, the alarm, the shielding and the sheer complicated nature of it would deter people away from it if it’s association with him wasn’t enough to do that. Clearly he’d been a little naive, considering a boy no older than ten was currently in the middle of taking off the last wheel on it. 

He silently stalked behind him and picked him up by the back of his collar. “What do you think you’re doing?”

The boy looked startled for all of a second before managing to catch Bruce in the stomach with the tire iron and making a run for it when the action caused Bruce to drop him. 

Bruce just as quickly recovered and caught him again, by the wrist this time. “Where are your parents?”

“Where are  _ your  _ parents, batfucker?” The boy shot back, glaring up at him while trying to tug his arm free.

Bruce felt his face pull into a deep set frown. It was a low blow, even if the kid didn’t really know it. He didn’t realize he’d tightened his grip until the child let out a pained yelp. “Ow! Hey! Let go of me!” 

Bruce quickly loosened his grip but didn’t let go. “You should go home; it’s dangerous out here.”

“Says the guy that just lost his wheels,” the kid said snidely. “Seems to me like you’re the one that should be going home.” 

Bruce wasn’t sure if he found the snark amusing or annoying. Dick definitely would have found the kid funny, but thinking of Dick also hurt just the slightest bit. “This isn’t a place for kids and neither is that hobby of yours.”

“Mind your business, old man,” the boy tried to kick him in the shin, but after the tire iron incident he was ready for an attack and was able to move his leg out of the way.

“I believe my car is my business.” By the look of the boy, the thinness of his arm and the sunkeness of his cheeks, it wasn’t hard to guess that the boy’s family wasn’t doing very well. Given by how he acted towards any of Bruce’s questions it really wasn’t hard to figure that this boy’s family situation was a lot like Bruce’s own.

“Then go deal with your car and leave me alone,” this time he tried to throw a punch and Bruce had to grab his other wrist. 

“When was the last time you ate?” Was what Bruce asked instead.

That seemed to throw the boy off for a moment, he looked at Bruce like he was trying to find some kind of angle behind the question. “What’s it to you?” He asked suspiciously. 

The longer Bruce held onto the boy’s arm, the more noticeably thin the boy was. Alfred would have a hard time not feeding him and would likely chew him out for not trying to feed him. “How would you like a meal?”

The suspicion only grew. “And what do you expect to get out of that?” 

“What would I get out of offering you a meal?” 

“You tell me what you think most old men picking up kids off the street in Crime Alley with a promise of free food want.” 

Bruce frowned even harder at that. “I’m only offering a meal. I don’t want anything in return.”

“I won’t give you your tires back either,” the boy told him. 

Bruce supposed that was fine, he could always get new ones. “That’s fine.”

“...Where would we be going.” 

Even if Alfred would love to feed this boy, Bruce wasn’t just quite willing to show him the cave. And considering how he’d reacted to the offer of food, he probably wouldn’t take the suggestion of having it at Bruce’s home very well. “Is there something close you would like?”

“There’s a diner like a block away. It’s the only thing open in walking distance at this time of night.” 

It wasn’t exactly ideal to sit in a diner with a kid and have a meal with him but really, he’d done weirder things, and they could always take it out. He let the boy lead the way. “Any chance you’ll tell me your name?”

“Any chance you’ll tell me yours?” He asked, looking over his shoulder at Bruce. 

“None.”

The boy turned to face him, walking backwards, so he could frown at him. “That hardly seems fair.”

And despite himself, Bruce found himself cracking a small smile at the boy’s snark. “Then I guess this is how it will be.”

The boy flashed a grin at him in return, spinning back around in time to avoid hitting a busted street lamp. “Any other info you’ll trade for a name?”

Bruce actually considered it instead of giving his usual ‘no’. He could probably spare something about himself for the boy. “My parents aren’t around anymore.” He decided on, since the boy did ask earlier, even if he’d only said it out of spite.

The child’s steps faltered slightly, clearly not expecting any actual information or maybe just not that information, but he righted himself before Bruce could reach out to steady him. “Guess we have something in common,” he said quietly. “I’m Jason,” he added quickly, stopping in front of a diner and holding his hand out. 

“Superman,” Bruce said back, taking his hand. He could joke every now and again too. It wasn’t really hard to figure that that was what Jason’s living situation was, but it was still upsetting to have his suspicions confirmed, and unlike Bruce, Jason didn’t have the money and a family friend to fall back on. He was on his own. But at least Bruce was able to get a, slightly surprised, laugh out of him. That was something. 

“Well, ‘Superman’,” he said sarcastically, finger quotes and everything, “how are we going in while you have the ears?” Jason put his fingers up next to his own head to imitate the bat ears on Bruce’s costume.

“You go in,” Bruce handed him probably more money than was necessary.

Jason eyed the money before shrugging. “Bold move after I just stole your tires,” he said but still went in, coming back out with two bags and drinks, notably not handing any change back to Bruce. 

And it was probably the small sense of connection he felt with the boy or maybe a part of him missed having someone else to occupy the cave with, but despite his hesitation only minutes ago he found himself offering Jason another stop. “If you help me put new wheels on, I have one more stop.” 

“Where at?” Jason asked, handing him his bag. .

Bruce considered keeping it a surprise, but given how Jason was, he probably wasn’t a big fan of surprises. “Home.”

“Why?” He at least seemed less inclined to accuse him of kidnapping this time, actually asking but still suspicions. 

"I think you'll like it there."

“Not an answer.”

“You’re a lot more paranoid than Robin ever was.”

“That’s the Boy Wonder’s loss, not mine,” Jason said confidently. 

“Come if you want, you’re welcome to,” Bruce decided. While Jason was in need of help, Bruce couldn’t force him to do or go anywhere and he didn’t intend to.

“Fine. But I’m hanging onto this if you try something weird,” Jason informed him, holding up one of Bruce’s batarangs. 

Bruce hadn’t even noticed him take it. He was admittedly impressed. “Suit yourself.”

Jason followed him back to the Batmobile, but didn’t really help him put the spares on, just sat on the hood picking at his fries and occasionally making fun of how slow Bruce was at replacing them. 

“You’ve had a lot of experience with removing tires.”

“Not so much putting them back on,” Jason agreed. “But I think even I’d be better than this.”

Bruce gave him a wry look as he tightened the last bolt and opened the door for him.

Jason looked a lot more interested in the inside of the car. Bruce had to grab his wrist to stop him from pressing a random button that would have ejected the backseat. Jason looked a little bit put out by that, but quickly shifted his attention when the car started moving and he realized how fast they were going, nearly pressing himself against the window to watch the city race by.

It wasn’t long before the city started to fade away and they entered the hidden stretch of road that led to the cave. Alfred was waiting for both of them despite Bruce not mentioning a word about Jason to him.

Jason seemed to take to Alfred a lot quicker than Bruce, even as he was distracted by all of the stuff in the cave. “Holy shit, there’s actually bats in here,” he noticed belatedly, looking up at the ceiling with wide eyes. 

“Language, young sir,” Alfred admonished.

“Right, sorry,” Jason actually looked a little sheepish, despite the way he’d been talking before they reached the cave. “But why are there actual bats?”

“It’s an actual cave,” Bruce said matter of factly. “They don’t create any disturbance and I’m the one whose using their home.”

“...Aren’t you worried about like… diseases?” Jason frowned at the ceiling. 

“Not while I am around,” Alfred cut in, “now as exciting as the cave is, I do insist that the young sir also gets the chance to see the bat shower. That’s an awful lot of car grease on you.”

“The ‘bat shower’?” Jason snickered, shooting a look at Bruce. 

“I don’t call it that.”

“Of course you don’t.” Alfred sounded annoyingly mocking.

“Of course not,” Jason agreed, more openly mocking. “I’ll pass though,” he added, glancing around at several of the cameras in the cave that he really shouldn’t have been able to notice. 

“There’s none in the shower.”

“Are you sure there’s enough in here?” He asked sarcastically. 

“A necessary precaution.”

“You called  _ me  _ paranoid.” 

“I said you were more paranoid than Robin.” If anything, Jason’s paranoia really only rivalled Bruce’s.

“Robin trusted taking a shower in a strange man’s cave full of cameras?” 

“Now young sir, I do suggest you accept a change of clothes nonetheless.” From the looks of it, Bruce was sure Alfred would be trying to adopt Jason by the end of the night too.

Jason still looked a little unsure but seemed to resign himself to it. Bruce got the impression if Alfred hadn’t been the one to ask it wouldn’t have happened nearly as quickly if at all. “I don’t have extra clothes.” 

“Not to worry, come along.”

“Come along where?” He asked as he followed Alfred. 

Bruce gave Alfred the go ahead. They might have just met Jason, and maybe Bruce was being a little too trusting, but he could tell that Alfred had taken to Jason already too and Bruce definitely wouldn’t feel right just letting him back out into the street or putting him into the system.

“To the manor proper, you won’t be finding a set of clothes down here.”

“...The manor?” Jason frowned at them. 

“Of course, Master Bruce certainly could not live in this cave with how much pampering he needs.”

Jason stared blankly at him for a moment before spinning around to face Bruce. “Bruce Wayne?! Isn’t that supposed to be a joke in Gotham?” 

“No one believes a joke,” Bruce shrugged, pulling off his cowl.

“Why are you telling  _ me  _ though? I haven’t even been nice to you. You don’t even know me.”

“You see, young sir, it appears as though you’ve managed to impress Master Bruce,” Alfred explained for him. 

“...by stealing his tires and making fun of him?” 

“He’s always been a bit odd, if I say so myself,” and Bruce frowned at Alfred for that.

Jason turned to Bruce to give him the same confused frown he’d been giving Alfred, clearly hoping for a better explanation of the situation. 

“While I wouldn’t have put it that way, he is right.”

“And how do you know I won’t tell people?” 

“Other than that you’ve proven to be less trusting than even me and hesitant to give anyone any form of information? Call it a leap of faith.”

“So … what does this mean then? Me knowing?” 

“I think we’re still deciding that.”

“Do I get to be in on the deciding at all?” 

“Of course, we wouldn’t just decide for you.”

“Do I get to know what we’re deciding then?”

That Bruce wasn’t so sure he should tell Jason just yet, that was probably more overwhelming than he needed. “Why don’t you just help Alfred pick something out for you and then late dinner.”

“We just got dinner,” Jason reminded him, not that they’d really eaten much of it after Bruce got the idea of taking Jason home in his head.

“I prefer for crime fighters to not live on a diet of grease so I truly must insist on at the very least a snack.”

Jason still looked uncomfortable, but followed Alfred. When he came to the kitchen where Bruce was waiting it looked like Alfred had convinced him on the shower, and he was wearing a set of Dick’s old clothes that were a bit big on him.

“Any requests, young sir? And coffee for you, I presume, Master Bruce.”

“Anything is fine,” Jason mumbled, looking around distractedly.

“Very well.” Alfred got to work on a small and notably healthier snack mostly for Jason. He knew Bruce wasn’t likely to eat anything for another little while.

Jason picked at the food, mostly watching them, and stole Bruce’s coffee the second he looked away when it was clear Bruce was barely touching it. 

“Shall I prepare you a room, young sir?” And Bruce supposed there was no other way to approach it rather than just let Alfred offer it.

“I’m not going home?” 

Bruce simply gave him an arched brow.

“What?” Jason narrowed his eyes at him. 

“Where would I be taking you home to?”

“Back where you found me,” Jason said like it should be obvious. 

“I don’t think many would consider the alley where I found you a home.”

Jason actually looked slightly embarrassed, the tips of his ears had gone pink and he wasn’t making eye contact, which Bruce supposed made some sense while Jason was sitting inside a mansion. “I’m between foster homes at the moment.”

“The system hasn’t been working for you?” He’d seen the same thing happen to Dick during the small amount of time Dick had been in the system.

“That’s a nicer way to phrase it,” Jason agreed. 

“We’d like the chance to give you a home if you’ll let us.”

“You don’t want that,” Jason said with a depressing amount of certainty. 

“What makes you say that?”

“The number of foster homes I’ve gone through,” Jason said flatly. 

It was upsetting seeing someone so young blame himself for his own situation, but that wasn’t exactly something Bruce couldn’t relate with. “We want you to stay with us, Jason, If you’d like that, that is.”

Jason looked between them hesitantly. “I’ll stay the night,” he finally agreed. They’d have to work to get Jason to trust them and believe they wanted him around, but Bruce was willing to put in the work that it seemed no one else had been.


End file.
